The number and types of electronic devices available to consumers have increased tremendously the past few years, and this increase shows no signs of abating. Electronic devices, such as portable media players, storage devices, tablets, netbooks, laptops, desktops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell, media, and smart phones, televisions, monitors, and other display devices, navigation systems, and other devices have become ubiquitous.
These electronic devices may include one or more connector receptacles, which may often appear as a cavity on a side of an electronic device. These receptacle cavities may be arranged to receive a second electronic device or a connection to a second electronic device. For example, they may be arranged to receive a device such a memory or circuit module device. These devices may include cards such as Secure Digital cards, memory sticks, compact flash, wireless transceivers, and other types of cards and modules. The receptacle cavity may also be arranged to receive a connector insert, which may be connected to a cable, a docking station, or other electronic component.
These devices have become smaller and slimmer with each succeeding generation. At the same time, they have been designed to include ever-increasing levels of functionality. The trend for the foreseeable future is to pack more features into increasingly smaller devices. As a result, many parts of these devices, such as casings, power supplies, and circuits have become smaller. It may be desirable to further reduce the size of other components as well. For example, it may be desirable to reduce the size of these connector receptacles. Space saved by providing a reduced size connector receptacle may be used to shrink the size of the electronic device, it may be used to increase functionality, or both.
The connector receptacle may include a number of contacts to mate with contacts on these devices or inserts. These electrical connections pathways may form paths for power and data. When a connector receptacle is made smaller, its contacts may become smaller as well. These smaller contacts may be increasingly vulnerable to damage.
Thus, what is needed are connector receptacles having protective structures for connector contacts.